Election of Steering Committee of NRP 78 "Covid-19"
The SNSF Research Council has elected the Steering Committee of the National Research Programme "Covid-19" (NRP 78).
The Steering Committee of NRP 78 is composed of experts from Switzerland and abroad, the president is Marcel Salathé from EPF Lausanne. The Committee's main task is providing scientific oversight for the 28 research projects of NRP 78 and advising them about knowledge and technology transfer. The Committee members are all respected researchers in the key research fields addressed by NRP 78, bringing together a wealth of experience in research programme implementation
Marcel Salathé to preside over Steering Committee
Marcel Salathé, one of Switzerland's most well-known epidemiologists, has been elected president of NRP 78. He is a member of the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force with an extensive network of partners both in academia and beyond.
The Steering Committee also includes high-ranking scientists who are specialists in four research areas:
- Clinical research: Giacomo Grasselli, Università degli Studi di Milano (IT)
- Immunology/virology: Olivier Terrier, International Center for Infectiology Research, Lyon (FR)
- Medicines and vaccine development / diagnostics: Barbara Rath, Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative (A) and Université Bourgogne Franche Comté (FR)
- Epidemiology / Public health: Annelies Wilder-Smith, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (GB) and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (SG)
Strong partnership with Innosuisse and FOPH
To ensure that researchers receive optimal support for knowledge and technology transfer, two members of the Innosuisse Innovation Council will join the Committee: Emanuela Keller from University Hospital Zurich and Bettina Ernst from PRECLIN Biosystems AG will play an important role in developing project-specific and tailor-made knowledge and technology transfer measures.
Mirjam Mäusezahl, head of the Epidemiological Surveillance and Assessment Section at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), will be responsible for exchanges and collaboration with the political authorities.
Nicolas Rodondi, member of the Programmes division of the National Research Council, will liaise between the Steering Committee and the Research Council.